Watch George W. Bush Cheer on His Daughter Jenna Bush Hager on Her First Day as a Today Show Co-Host

You're never too old have your dad give you a few words of encouragement on your first day at a new job. And that's exactly what happened to Jenna Bush Hager this week, as she made her debut as co-host of the 10 o’clock hour of the Today show alongside Hoda Kotb.

"Hey Jenna, your old dad here on film to tell you how much I love you and how proud I am of you. I know you'll do a fabulous job," the former president George W. Bush said in a video message to his daughter, which was shared on the air.

Understandably, Bush Hager got a bit emotional after watching the clip. "That was so sweet," she said, teary-eyed and requesting some Kleenex.

After wiping her eyes, she then shared that her father had also sent her a private message ahead of her big day. "My dad texted me this morning ... and he's a man of very few words via text, like probably a lot of people's dads. He just said 'You go girl, you got 'em girl. I'm a very proud dad.'"

She is following in the footsteps of fellow wine enthusiast Kathie Lee Gifford, who had previously served as Kotb's co-host.

"It’s an exciting time for me, and I’m thrilled about all the projects that are coming up," Gifford said on the show in December, revealing that exiting the program is bitter-sweet. "It’s also hard … because I love everybody here so much."

Caroline HallemannSenior Digital News EditorAs the senior digital news editor for Town & Country, Caroline Hallemann covers everything from the British royal family to the latest episodes of Outlander, Killing Eve, and The Crown.

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